Good Morning. It's Monday 17th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds destroy sorry Burnley Five star Leeds Utd ripped apart their Lancashire foes at Turf Moor Saturday lunchtime in a 4-0 rout. The result itself was satisfying enough, but once you add bragging rights, playing against three former players, and sour grapes from the Clarets, you can't blame Leeds fans for being a little smug! A rejuvenated Mateusz Klich opening the scoring just before half time. His surging run from midfield failed to be closed down; and the Polish International bent a curling shot from 25 yards into the right hand corner past the helpless Bailey Peacock Farrell. Burnley could have equalised early in the second half when Vydra capitalised on a rare defensive error. He found himself one on one with Meslier, but the Frenchman thwarted the Czech's effort with his out stretched leg. The Whites doubled their lead on the hour mark. Jack Harrison's cheeky back heel from Alioski's initial effort left Peacock Farrell flat footed. Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson had a chance to pull one back from a tight angle, but Meslier was equal to the task. To rub salt into the wounds, Rodrigo would add a third on 77 minutes. Harrisons sublime pass found the Brazilian with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty area. He skips past two defenders before chipping the ball past BPF. The rout was complete two minutes later with a goal of the season contender. Harrison latches on to Phillips fifty yards pass. Running at goal, he slots the ball into the path of Rodrigo who calmly rounds the keeper before firing home from an acute angle. Bring on the Saints tomorrow night! please log in to view this image McNeil reports Alioski to FA Burnley winger Dwight McNeil has reported Ezgjan Alioski to the FA for making an alleged racist gesture during Saturdays match at Turf Moor. The incident took place in the 70th minute after a challenge from the Burnley winger sent the North Macedonian sprawling. Alioski retaliated, and appeared to placed his hands behind his ears and pull strange faces at the mixed race player. With so much hype over racism in football, its strange that none of the commentators highlighted the incident which was seen by millions of people around the World. Unfortunately for McNeil, the camera's also picked up on him spitting in Alioski's face, which due to obvious health concerns regarding Covid carries a criminal assault charge! I wonder whether this will be dealt with? Fourth official Anthony Taylor made match referee Graham Scott aware of Alioski's face pulling, and brought Dyche and Bielsa together for a lengthy discussion. Are we uncovering a massive undercurrent of racism that has gone unnoticed for years, and is only now being addressed or are we seeing political correctness reach colossal proportions spreading their anti racism slogans where they are either making little difference or perhaps don't exist? Shouldn't more money and effort be put into educating our children at an early age about race? Could we soon be getting to the stage that we avoid other races, in fear that we may accidently upset them? A few years ago, would McNeil have got so upset about Alioski's face pulling? please log in to view this image
Morning all Burnley match was a dire watch for the first half hour because they pressed us and we couldn't string any passes together and the ball just kept coming straight back at us. Hopefully we will sort that out in the Summer with a couple of better players. However almost everyone then shone, right from Meslier saving our bacon again but Llorente and Struijk were massive. Great to see Klich back to near his best and to get Raphinha back and he can only get better in the last 2 games, hopefully back to his devastating best. Rodrigo has scored 3 goals in less than 45 minutes of football, chuffed to see him back and must be close to starting now and Kalvin Phillips was at it again and the cross-field ball was sublime. Harrison was devastating for 55 minutes. 8 players named there who should be the spine of the team next season. Add in Dallas, Koch, Ayling Cooper and it all looks good especially if we can keep them all fit plus add a couple of really good players......
Morning all. I found this https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1621235572
Morning all... Burnley were only ever going to score from a set piece or long ball. Charlie Taylor had Raphinha in his pocket the entire game, I hate it when we’re linked with ex players but Taylor wouldn’t be a bad one to go for.
Morning all. Once Leeds got going that was an all round brilliant display. After that first twenty five minutes or so I was worried that it was going to be a typical dead rubber match but then Leeds remembered they are a Bielsa side and it on. Two incidents I want to highlight. 1- Alioski face pulling. If this is deemed racist abuse then the fight against racism is lost. This was a childish insult from a player we know to be full time crazy. If Mcneil is claiming racism he should hold his head in shame. By seeing racism where it isn't he is undermining the real fight against real racism. Personally I think he is deflecting away from something he has said /done himself and realised he has ****ed up. Burnley come across as a team of thugs who then play the victim when called out on it, I think this is what is happening here and the ginger testicle they have as manager is behind it. 2- Roberts shot. Roberts has come in for pelters on twitter and in here for deciding to shoot rather than passing to rodrigo for his hat trick. We were 4-0 up in the 90th minute. You show me a footballer in the world who would not have taken that shot on? I honestly see Roberts as this year's poster boy for the Blame Tom Lees club. Two years ago it was Cooper, last year Bamford. Now its Roberts.
Well I’m shocked but Bielsa has given Koch and Klich time off for a break to recharge their batteries LEEDS UNITED head coach Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that international duo Robin Koch and Mateusz Klich will not feature in the club’s last two games of the Premier League season - after electing to give both of them some early leave ahead of potential involvement in the forthcoming European Championships in June.
I'm ****ing sick and tired of the race card being used. If o'neil did spit at Alioski then he should be done, but because he's a half caste the authorities will probably gloss over it. As for Alioskis gestures, it's something we did as kids in the playground, nah na na na na and what's racist about sticking your tongue out. Alioski is the one who was sinned against and I hope when proved wrong that they do the other ****. Although how you prove something like that I don't know. I was reading that a match in Wales was called off when one side walked off after one of their players was called a rent boy. So the Welsh FA contacted the FA and were told that it didn't contitute a homophobic slur and basically didn't need to be acted on.
Roberts has had enough chances at this club, he arrived here injured, then got injured again. The club should have got rid ages ago IMO. I know he's getting grief for yesterdays bad decision, but he's not being judged on one cockup, he done it over a long period. He just too inconsistant, but Bielsa likes him so there's not alot we can say or do.
Looks like we get to say goodbye to Pablo and Berardi for the West Brom game as both should feature at some stage. If we get a result tomoz this WBA game may be a dead rubber as we wont be able to be overtaken in the league, so may get to see a couple of kids too?
Alioski I'm not even going to talk about it's a non story. Roberts I'm not a one for calling my own. but, he isn't good enough for this side next season. As on the game soon as we scored that first goal I knew it was all over. Taylor did do well against Raph And isn't a bad shout for us again but there is an abundance of players probably on the radar and abroad we all know they are alot cheaper. 2 games to go mathematically 7th is still on. Very unlikely but untill it's done and dusted I can't see us taking any foot off the pedal. Tuesday and Wednesday we will see more clearerly. If we win tomorrow we go 8th as others don't play to wednesday. how nice it would be if we were still in the hunt for 7th last day of the season. we need a lot to go wrong but hey if there's hope there's a chance.
Morning all. It seems that the FA are looking into a childish bit of face pulling by a Leeds player but ignored an assault by Man Cities Fernandinho which caused an Internal Hematoma on Raphinas thigh.
I'm torn on Roberts, he's getting shots in now, usually hit well with power. Once he gets off the mark I think he could be hitting double figures per season regularly. Certainly worth a contract extension so long as wages remain sensible, have a look at him for another year. A left back, and maybe Minamino who would fit in well i feel, if we can get him on loan. Also a good reserve keeper to keep pushing Meslier.
Think Charlie Taylor did ok against a not yet fully fit Raphinha, but would bet Raph would make his head spin in a week or so when fully fit. So for me Charlie isn't good enough. Lets ask ourselves the big question on a couple of our players, would they get into any other Prem team. Alioski I would say he isnt a left back and he is a winger. He is an ok winger but nowhere near good enough to replace Harrison. Roberts has been spoken about in the media as wanted by Newcastle. I estimate he has had 4 good games in the last couple of seasons. Yes he has shown some great flair and tricks, but has only provided 2 assists. He has problems with decision making, holding the ball too long, shooting when a pass would be better. So no end product. Yes he could get there and the decision will be Bielsa’s, but even a very poor season by Klichs standards has still produced 4 goals and assists, Dallas, Harrison, Rodrigo have all produced goals and assists. I believe a new left back and a new midfielder are essential
yep, the Roberts stuff is boring. He does flashes of good stuff and he makes mistakes. Playing in the risk-taking position (still relatively new position for him) where everyone makes mistakes trying the killer ball. Will he ever be good enough? Probably not for where we hope to be, but he has talent and is not as awful as people make out. The coach picks him, he tries. People are entitled to think he’s one to replace, but the bashing is OTT
Graham Smyth @GrahamSmyth Robin Koch and Mateusz Klich granted early leave by Marcelo Bielsa, with the Euros in mind.
Agree regards Roberts. He has the tools but doesn't know how to use them just yet. He lacks experience. I'd send him out on loan next season and get 40 + games of mistakes out of his system and see if he can learn from them. Same with Shackleton. The lad isn't gaining much sitting on the bench. Send him out and let him get 50 games under his belt.
The only problem with the loaning players out scenario is that this season we had 1 player in League one back at TA, 4 players in League 2 back at TA Mujica and Bogutsz in Spain. Decisions need making on these 7 kids. Then you could say Shacks Davies need to go out and then decisions made about Greenwood, Gelhardt, Drameh Summerville Huggins and Casey. Not all of them will be retained as U23 players and those coming back will not be going back to the 23s. Bogutsz, McCalmont and Shackelton have long term contracts so my guess is that these 3 go out on loan again but to Championship clubs. I can see Casey going out on loan, but think we have seen the last of Stevens, Hosannah and maybe Gotts. We dont want to be in the same boat as Chelsea when they had 58 players out on loan, its unsustainable, so lots of decisions to be made
Is Bielsa playing him as much now to try and iron those mistakes out while playing in our system? Where we could send him that would have him playing as we do and improve him enough to come back and oust whoever we have bought into that position? For me its hope Bielsa can make him the player he sometimes looks he could be our sell him on, nothing to be gained from a loan.
